If you want the best picture buy a 1080p LCD or Plasma TV and subscribe to your cable company HD channels.

It may depend on a few things. The size of the TV you're getting may change the price dramatically. Plasmas get pricey at 60 inches and larger. Usually a very bright room with a lot of windows would be better suited for an LCD tv because they are known to be bright displays and will not be as affected by the light. Also, the viewing angle of the TV may not be too wide with an lcd. So you need to see what characteristics your room has and go from there.

Additionally, other questions you need to answer are: how close will you be viewing the TV? Will there be a game system connected? Do you leave it on with a static picture (non-changing) for a long period of time? We need some more info to make a suggestion that is helpful.

Most of the above is very true, except a 60" LCD (if available) will likely be just as expensive--if not more so, than a 58-60" plasma. You can get the exce3llent new Panasonic 58" 1080p plasma between $3,900-$4,700--depending on where you buy it. There will be no LCD at that size or price range that performs in the same ballpark with the Panny.

The advantages of most plasmas over LCD's (particularly on the Pioneers and Panasonics) are the far superior black levels and extremely wide viewing angles.

But one needs to know if the room is bright where you will be watching and how far you sit from the television-and even what size you might want--not to forget what busget you have for the HDTV. There are a lot of variables.

Sony's and Samsung LCD's have generally very good wide angle viewing (for LCD's) and also better black levels than most, if not all, LCD's. Black levels are particularly very important for contrast--not to forget getting good blacks that don't look gray or dark blue.

Greg